A FARMER has been given a suspended sentence and fined €5,000 for offences relating to cattle testing and disease which a judge said could have been "catastrophic".

Anthony Dineen of Inchafune, Dunmanway, Co Cork, pleaded guilty to six sample offences out of 114 offences relating to Bovine TB disease and brucellosis eradication and animal identification at Bandon District Court.

The judge said that the offences relating to untested animals, failure to tag and register as well as undocumented movements were "potentially catastrophic" for the national herd.

The judge imposed fines of €1,000 each in relation to five of the charges. A suspended custodial sentence of three months was also imposed for failure to attach ear tags to calves within 20 days of birth, on conditions that the €5,000 was lodged in court immediately.